Towelette for sanitizing items placed in mouth

ABSTRACT

A moisturized towelette impregnated with a sanitizing agent. The sanitizing agent is ingestible and safe for human consumption. The towelette is used to sanitize food handling utensils prior to their use in touching food items to be consumed by individuals. An alternative is to sanitize children or infant toys, pacifiers and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention involves the use of a towelette to clean theeating surfaces of utensils or plates and cups at a publicestablishment. It is well known and has been available to the public fora number of years the use of towelettes to clean one's person, namelyhands and face, after eating with an individual sized towlette. Thesetowelettes usually contain a sanitizing material and are moist to thetouch and contained in an individual sized packet so that they can bereadily transportable and used virtually anywhere. Typical examples ofsuch products are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,057,467; 3,563,371; and3,398,826.

While the prior art deals with a towelette impregnated with a cleansingmaterial, this has been designed solely for the use of an individualafter they have eaten and used to clean their hands and face. Thepresent invention deals with a similar looking product, however, thesanitizing or cleansing chemical that is impregnated into the toweletteis safe for human consumption. This unique idea of using a cleansingchemical that is safe for human ingestion is novel and not existing inthe prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention involves the use of an individual sized towelette,which is impregnated with a safe, nontoxic odorless chemical that iscapable of removing harmful airborne bacteria from utensils and othereating instruments. The present invention is intended for use inrestaurants and take-out eating facilities and for distribution tocustomers to use to clean their utensils or other eating instrumentsprior to their use. The individual packets could be packaged in bulk sothat they could be utilized by buffet or cafeteria style restaurants orschool cafeterias. By distributing the present invention to consumersprior to their consumption of food items, will enable them to sanitizetheir utensils with the wipe, thus removing harmful airborne bacteria oranything else unsanitary thereon and insuring a clean and sanitaryutensil for their use.

While the primary intended use is for eating utensils, which includesflatware, cups, plates, glasses, etc., the present invention could alsobe utilized by parents to clean children's or infant's pacifiers,teething rings and toys that may have become soiled or contaminated withbacteria, prior to giving the item to the child. The health benefits ofthe present invention are enormous.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a towelette impregnated with aningestible sanitizing substance and a method of using such a toweletteto cleanse eating utensils. Utensils is intended to include all foodhandling items such as cups, glasses, plates, flatware, etc. Thetowelette may comprise any suitable absorbent material, woven ornon-woven, and most preferably comprises a non-woven material such ascotton, paper, rayon, or a mixture of these. Alternatively, thetowelette may comprise any other conventional material which can absorbthe sanitizing agent.

The sanitizing liquid may comprise any conventional liquid utilized incleansing and sanitizing eating utensils and is safe for humanconsumption. The liquid would be odorless and tasteless.

The towelettes of the present invention may be produced by a number ofmethods. The general method is to cut a towelette to any desired size,and to impregnate the towelette with a small amount of the sanitizer.

The towelettes of the present invention are preferably packaged inindividual sealed packets, as are well known in the art. However,packaging multiple towelettes in a single package, container ordispenser may be advantageous for commercial use.

Individually packaging the towelettes allows for ease of carrying inhandbags or for uses such as on picnics. The towelette is also usable onitems for small children or infants. The towelette can be used tosanitize a teething ring, pacifier, or child's toy. Such packetpreferably includes a foil or plastic lined envelope wherein a singlefolded towelette is disposed before sealing, as known in the art.

While the preferred use of the present invention is for individual sizedpackets, the towelette of the present invention could be packaged inresealable containers. The use of resealable containers for towelettesis well known in the art as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,790.Also, individual packets could be packaged together, in bulk, for use byschool cafeterias, public cafeterias or buffet restaurants.

1. A towelette package comprising an openable container and at least onemoisturized towelette, wherein said at least one towelette comprises asheet of material impregnated with an ingestible, sanitary liquid tosanitize an item.
 2. A towelette package as recited in claim 1, whereinthe item to be sanitized is a food utensil.
 3. A towelette package asrecited in claim 2, wherein multiple towelettes are contained in thepackage.
 4. A towelette package as recited in claim 1, wherein the itemto be sanitized is a children's toy.